Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins

Love pumpkin baked goods? Try my healthy pumpkin bread, pumpkin cake, healthy pumpkin muffins, and almond flour pumpkin muffins next. The popular Starbucks pumpkin muffin inspired my pumpkin cheesecake muffins. After doing many taste tests and so much recipe testing, I’ve created an even better version that is deceptively easy to make and perfect for Fall… and so much cheaper too!

Why I love this recipe

Simple ingredients. Pumpkin, eggs, and some pantry staple ingredients are all you’ll need. Ready in under 25 minutes. From prep to plate, these take almost no time at all. Perfect for the holidays. These are the ultimate seasonal baked goods that are a must for the holiday season or when you want a little something between meals or after dinner. Amazing texture and flavor. Moist, fluffy, and tender on the outside with a creamy filling. It’s full of pumpkin flavor and the tang from the cream cheese makes it taste like cheesecake.

Ingredients needed

All-purpose flour. Simple and perfect for baking. I’ve also tried these muffins with wholewheat flour and it works well too. Just be wary that the muffins will be darker in color and a teensy bit more dense. Baking soda. Gives the muffins some rise and fluffiness. Salt. Just a pinch to balance out the sweet ingredients. Eggs. Room temperature. Pumpkin puree. Unsweetened pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling. Maple syrup. Adds sweetness to the muffins. You can also use honey or agave nectar. Vanilla extract. A must for any good muffin. Coconut oil OR butter. I prefer using coconut oil, but melted butter also works. If you do go for the coconut option, opt for refined coconut oil, which has no coconut flavor. Sweet cream cheese filling. A combination of softened cream cheese and sugar. Do not use light or reduced-fat cream cheeses as they have added moisture, and the lack of fat will dry them out once completely baked. Streusel topping. Classic crumb ingredients like butter, brown sugar, flour, and a touch of cinnamon.

How to make pumpkin cream cheese muffins

I’ve included step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post. “These are Incredibly Good! They just made my permanent Holiday menu…” – John

Arman’s recipe tips

Avoid overbaking the muffins, as they will continue to cook as they are cooling down. The streusel topping is completely optional, so feel free to omit if desired. If you’d like a sweeter muffin, you can use pumpkin pie filling instead. Use a small cookie scoop to portion out the muffin batter into the muffin pan. Add other spices like ground nutmeg, ground ginger, ground cloves, allspice, or pumpkin pie spice.

Storage instructions

To store: Leftover muffins can be stored at room temperature in a sealed container for up to five days. If you’d like them to keep longer, store them in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. To freeze: Place the cooled muffins in a ziplock bag and store them in the freezer for up to 6 months.